NEW YORK, 21 January 2016 (WAFA) – United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for “substantial policy changes on the ground” by Israel, voicing deep concern at reports that it has declared 370 acres in the occupied West Bank south of Jericho as so-called “state land.”
A statement issued by Ban’s spokesman stated, “If implemented, this declaration would constitute the largest land appropriation by Israel in the West Bank since August 2014.”
“The Secretary-General reiterates his call for substantial policy changes on the ground by Israel that will improve the lives of Palestinians.”
He affirmed that settlement activities constitute a violation of international law and run counter to the public pronouncements of Israel, which support a two-state solution.
The two-state solution forms the main plank of efforts by the diplomatic Quartet, comprising the UN, European Union, Russia and the United States, to solve the Middle East crisis, with two states – Israel and Palestine – living side by side in peace and security.
Chief Negotiator Saeb Erekat Wednesday deplored Israeli Prime Minister’s Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to seize 1500 dunums under the authority of the Jericho and Jordan Valley governorate and label it as state property.
Described as the largest seizure scheme in two years, Erekat affirmed that the Palestinian leadership will submit the settlement activities file to the Security Council very soon.
He said the decision comes as a response to the conclusions of the Council of the European Union and the Human Rights Watch’s report.
M.H
